Reproducibility of temporomandibular joint vibrations (electrovibratography)

Abstract

Surface electrovibratographic (EVG) recordings were obtained from the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) of clinically normal subjects (absence of TMJ sounds) and clinically abnormal subjects (presence of TMJ sounds). As examined through single factor analyses of variance and coefficients of intraclass correlation, the EVG recordings showed excellent reproducibility. The analyses showed also that, in comparison with clinically normal TMJs, the vibrations of clinically abnormal TMJs had higher median (+79%) and peak (+137%) frequencies, higher peak amplitudes (+740%), and higher intensities as expressed through the estimated total energy contents (+1843%) and the integrals (+1215%) of power spectrum density functions.